This invention relates to computer systems comprising pluggable modules and to such pluggable modules.
Computer systems typically include a number of pluggable modules, that is modules or components which may be plugged into a system to provide specific functionality. The use of pluggable modules is convenient in order to provide for a versatile configuration and for long term repair requirements.
Particularly, but not exclusively, in reliable systems, it is important to be able to establish that the modules plugged in actually are compatible. By this is meant that a module which may be inserted in a modular system needs to tested before it is fully integrated into the system and before the system relies on that module. The testing is typically done after the module is physically inserted into the system, but before the module is fully integrated functionally. The module could be a hardware or a software module.
Over the years, the capabilities of a module may change as different versions are released. For example, initially a disk module may be made of two 1 Gbyte drives. Later, it may be made with one 2 Gbyte drive. This change may be of no consequence in some systems, but may be important in others.
When mixing modules of different manufacture dates in the field, information on some capabilities may be needed, even if those capabilities were not even thought of when a module was built.
An aim of the present invention is to address the problem of providing information on and resolving such compatibility issues between interacting modules.